Life with Mary
by MelancholicMelodies
Summary: A story that's going to be based off of the Together Forever ending. I don't update regularly, only when it's convenient for myself, and I apologize for that inconsistency. Enjoy if you feel compelled.
1. Chapter 1

Ib's memories were fuzzy the moment she stepped through that painting. What had she been doing?  
Her white shirt was rumpled, her crimson skirt seemed a different, ghastly shade of red, and her hair was a mess. Where were her parents?  
Her heart was heavy with bereavement. She wish she knew why this was so. As little girl wandered along the aisles of the gallery, looking for the familiar pair amidst the crowd of strangers, her scarlet eyes flicked up periodically to glance at the art along the walls. She wished she knew why every time she passed a picture a wave of nausea washed over her. What was it about these paintings that made them so alluring to people anyways? They were nothing special. Shaking her head, the young girl continued her search for Mom and Dad.  
Her gait faltered twice on her quest; once in front of a headless, sleek black mannequin and again as a portrait of a woman came into view. Instinctively, Ib flinched as she walked in front of each, hurrying along passed the audience. They were just paintings, weren't they? Why-

Her train of thought was interrupted as she trotted down a tiny flight of stairs. Her parents were there, in the lobby. Alongside them was a girl with wavy blonde hair. She looked nothing like them. A chord struck inside Ib and she flinched, much akin to the reaction to the portrait of that odd woman and creepy sculpture. She wished she knew why.

Straining her ears, Ib could hear them talking.  
"Hey Mommy! What's for dinner tonight?" The other young girl asked.  
"Come now Mary, talking about dinner already?" The woman chided, her hair short and brown.  
"Well it's 'cause I'm hungry!" That girl…She was so familiar…But who was she and how did she know her parents?  
Ib stepped closer. The head of gold waves, along with the body it was attached to, whirled around. The girl it belonged to had on a jade dress and bright blue eyes that sparkled when they fell on Ib.  
"Mom! Dad! I found her!" She chirruped with a finger pointed at the brunette.  
The couple turned around and the woman, Ib's mother, came rushing forward and stared down her nose at her daughter with a look of disapproval.  
"My word, you've been gone long! Where did you get to? I wanted to see the exhibits with you!"  
The small crimson-eyed girl probably should've been ashamed to have run off, which she guessed was what had happened since her mind was still foggy, but instead all she felt was relief and dove forward, embracing her mother's waist.  
"I'm sorry," she mumbled, soft voice muffled by the fabric of her mother's shirt. For some reason it felt as if she'd run a marathon, and now it was over and time to rest.  
An unexplainable weight seemed to life from Ib's shoulders; a world full of threats that she suddenly didn't need to worry over anymore. All of this was just as perplexing as it was refreshing, but the brunette settled more towards the peaceful aspect. Her mind was just too tired. Hopefully the static in it would clear and she could remember what all this was about, but that would be later. Now all she wanted to do was go home and sleep. Maybe eat a macaroon or two.

"Well, I guess we're all tired," A male voice interrupted, belonging to Ib's father as he peered over at his peculiar little brown-haired daughter. "I suppose it's time we headed home."  
"Can we get dinner first? Mommy? Daddy?" A jolt was sent up the merlot-eyed girl's spine as that other girl, Mary, spoke up. It felt wrong. She shouldn't be calling them that. They weren't her parents!  
…Were they?  
She pulled away from the comforting form of her mother and wound her fingers in the hem of her skirt, following the trio to the family car. She was too tired to think about that.  
Once everyone was in the automobile Ib let her head rest against the window. The rest of the family had chatted away but she was very groggy and registered next to none of it.  
The chipper blonde was in the seat next to her, playing with Ib's brown locks as the other girl slid her hands into her pockets. Her fingers brushed against something crinkly. A wrapper? Instinctively her little hand enclosed over the delicate object.  
"If you're tired you can go ahead and go to sleep, sister! I'll wake you when we get home, just promise we'll always be together, Ib!"  
She nodded wordlessly and let her eyes slide closed. She was so silly. How had she forgotten she had a sibling?  
Mary reached for one of Ib's hands, grasping onto one with a desperate fervor the brunette found odd. In doing so Mary unintentionally found the candy, which was pulled straight out in the palm of the blonde. Her eyes were as wide as oceans as she looked at the hard sweet.  
"A candy? Oooh, gimme!" she squealed, swinging her legs, unwrapping it and greedily popping it into her mouth.  
"Yummy!"

Another jolt pierced Ib and drove through her like a nail, a pang far more painful than the last, but she was too exhausted to act on it. She sat there with her head propped against the window while they drove. She wished she knew what all this pain meant. The voices in the car began to dwindle to low murmurs as Ib let herself begin to drift off into the world of dreams. As her eyes finally closed in slumber a tear slid down her cheek, adding to the list of things she didn't understand.


	2. Chapter 2

The bell rang out loudly; raucous and imposing, but the sound also of freedom to the highschoolers.  
Everyone jumped up and shoved everything into their backpacks, not caring if papers got crumpled in the process so long as it allowed them to cram out of the classroom as quickly as possible. In the rear corner of the class stood a quiet brunette, studiously putting her papers and pens away, obviously not in a rush. She shuffled her things into her messenger bag and then calmly walked out behind the crowd, her maroon eyes searching through the sea of students.  
Her gait was slow; not lazy, but patient, as she walked towards the buses. She was in no hurry to be surrounded by so many people in the airless vehicle and she had someone to wait for: Her sister.  
The blonde was so…_attached._ It wasn't a bad thing, it just-  
"Ib!" A cheerful giggle was shouted in through one ear, an arm heavily laid across her shoulders as Mary joined her by her side. "There you are!" Her voice was always so sing-songy, like an upbeat melody.

Ib breathed out a half-hearted laugh. She wasn't a downer, per say, but she lacked the energy to be as enthusiastic. "Good to see you too," the brunette offered up a soft smile and adjusted her bag's shoulder strap. The pair walked towards the bus with synchronized steps.

"How were your classes?" Chimed Mary, a tilt of her head sending her wavy hair tumbling over her own shoulder.  
"Fine, same as usual." The other girl shrugged smoothly. " Nothing worth repeating. How about yours?"  
They hopped up the stairs to the big yellow bus, Mary reluctant to let go of her sister's shoulder but forced to do so by the tiny walkway. Ib lead the way to one of the seats in the back and took her place by the window.  
"Oh!" The blonde blurted out the syllable with a grin and put her fingertip to her chin. "Well for starters, my first period teacher was gone so we had a substitute. She was really old-looking, and a couple of kids were making it difficult for her to give us our assignment. It was pretty funny because she kept yelling at them and she sounded like a frog but they wouldn't listen!" She giggled, but the expression fled in moments. "Oh," Again, that syllable, but darker. "There was this one girl in my third period. The one I always tell you about, Katie or something. She wasn't being very nice to me,"  
While Mary droned on Ib leaned her head against the window. She tried to pay attention, really she did, it was just so difficult when she was drained from school and not interested in the dramatics of her sister.  
Ib felt her dark red eyes droop, the voices in the background excellent white noise. Instead of falling asleep, though, she thought. She thought about Mary. The oldest memory she had that stood out was that one day they went to the museum; Yeah, an art museum. That had been it. She and Mary and Mom and Dad coming home from that portrait place seven years ago.

The moment they got home had been weird. Ib had been tired and so she went to her room, but when she walked in it wasn't like how she remembered. Come to think of it, Ib didn't know what she'd expected because she couldn't remember it being any other way, but for some reason that room with two beds and two dressers hadn't felt right. How long had that vase with its roses been there?

But she'd climbed under covers and fallen asleep just the same.  
Then the next few days, weeks, even months were blurry; just full of Mary and how it had taken weeks to convince her that sleeping in the same bed with her sister wasn't necessary, months for her to throw tantrums about not wanting to move into the empty room because she "_Needed_ to be with her sister!" and years for the blonde to finally give Ib more than a centimeter of space.

Now both girls had their separate rooms and even though Mary never _really_ irritated her, Ib was glad for the privacy. She didn't know why, but she was, even if not much changed in their relationship. They were still as close as ever.

Just as the bus stopped at their street, Ib considered the fact that she'd never seen Mary make any decent conversation with any other students.

Mary wiggled out into the aisle and her fingers clasped around Ib's wrist, pulling the other girl out the door of the bus and down the street without a backwards glance. Was Mary still talking? Ib blinked away her current thoughts and opened her ears.  
"…and then I told her that she looked ridiculous. Oh, you know, that one boy asked me for your homeroom. I didn't tell him though. You don't…" Yes, she was still blabbing. Oh well, whatever kept her happy. That girl with her bright hair and bubbly personality reminded Ib of a ray of sunlight. She kept everyone in her family happy; Mom, Dad, and Ib, and that seemed to be all that mattered.


	3. Chapter 3

Foreword: This submission is quite a bit longer than the first two, apologies for being so late. I'm not a consistent updater and I apologize to anyone that finds themselves verily interested in the story!  
-

Once they were home things commenced as par usual, Ib sitting down on her bed to read a novel while Mary followed to lay on the floor flipping through magazines. Sometimes she would sort through her makeup, but she stopped wearing it as frequently after their mom said she looked "as pretty as a picture!"

The blonde's eyes had widened and trembled a little shortly before running to the bathroom. She'd washed her face thoroughly, rubbed it with a towel until her cheeks were red, and Mother had to stop her from flushing all her expensive foundation down the toilet. The little designer baggie sat on her dresser but Ib hadn't seen her touch it in awhile. For some reason there resided, amid her confusion regarding just _why_ Mary had reacted in such a way, a feeling of guilty satisfaction in the frightful horror that had filled those blue eyes. As if Mary was being revisited by a ghost, a skeleton she'd shoved behind the closet door and locked up tight that had somehow busted down its prison walls.

"I'm going to start my homework," Ib murmured after a time, sliding off her bed and sifting through her school things. "Do you have any?"

"Of course I do. I don't want to do it though."  
"Why not?"  
"Boring." The other girl grumbled.  
"Are you sure it's not just because you're confused?"  
"It's just boring!"  
"Come on, I'll help you. Get up here." Ib patted the side of her bed invitingly. "Fine," her sister huffed in defeat, though the skip to her step spoke otherwise as she retrieved her own things.

Both young women sat and chatted, going through literature and geometry in matter of a few hours. No subject of math was a favorite of the brunette, but she adored literature. Mary wasn't a fan of either.  
"Say, can we go to the candy shop sometime?" said blonde chirruped, laying on her stomach and supported by her elbows. "I want to get out of here for a little while, and the last time we were there was months ago! I heard they got new sweets!"

"Ah?" Ib looked up from her work and blinked. "I…suppose. A walk sounds nice." She nodded and smiled softly in agreement. "Let's just finish these first."  
Mary grumbled to herself but was satisfied with the answer, attempting to scribble down solutions quicker than usual.

…

"There!" the crimson-eyed girl clapped in conclusion. "Done!" She held her pencil in the air with a triumphant flourish and then proceeded to stuff everything into her backpack. Mary's method of tidying up was just putting everything in a pile until she felt like dealing with it later. She was too eager to go out to pay it much attention anyways.

She stood and adjusted her classic green dress, grinning. "You ready?"  
"Mhm," Ib nodded and the pair walked out to the door. "We're going down to the candy store!" Mary called, and affirmation was given by their mother from whatever room she was in. Ib felt her wrist pulled into a clingy hand and then towed down the street by a sister that started to babble. Her mind started to wander, eyes vacant but locked on their joined hands.

Mary, since she could remember, had always been…like this; like she had a fear of abandonment. Their parents always mentioned it because she seemed to be attached to Ib at the hip. Well, Ib or their mother, depending on if she was pried from her sister and dragged to the store or not. It was peculiar because there was no memory of, and nobody ever mentioned, what could have been the cause for this. It must not have been a big deal since they'd gotten used to it-

Something jerked her forward and the scarlet-eyed girl was brought back. "Ib!" the blonde whined. "We're here, come on!" she held the door open impatiently, tapping her foot.

"O-oh, sorry!" meekly she apologized, and hurried into the store with its cotton candy colored tiles.

A counter took up most of the store, in the shape of an L and displaying all the sweets. Clear boxes were stacked along most of it, each holding a different treat. Glass domes curved over the pastel ice creams and in the little vacant corner of the counter was the cashier, wearing a paper boat, the signature employee hat, standing at the register.

"What would you young ladies like today?" he chirped, like they were toddlers. Well, Mary giggled like one as she skipped over to the displays, so perhaps it wasn't that inappropriate. "Ah, a few snicker doodles, some chocolate, and, uh…" She brought a slender finger to her chin, pondering, eyebrows knit in thought. Ib took over, lest they be here all day waiting.  
"What were some of the newer treats you got in recently?" She asked, peering into the glass cases covering pastries. The cashier grinned, "I'm glad you asked! We've actually got quite a few things – just – over – here," He said each syllable separate as he moved along the aisle until he was parallel with the brunette, also looking into the pastry display. "We've got some new seasonal cupcakes, macaroons, and-"  
A pang of pain stabbed into Ib's head, stunning her into momentary silence. For a moment she couldn't hear anything but a ringing and her vision went blurry, just enough clarity to see Mary take her spot in conversation with the man and his goofy paper hat.  
The brunette suppressed a whimper, resisting the heavy urge to clap both hands to her skull. Her bright crimson eyes glazed over and when her sight improved, the first thing she saw being the blonde, she felt a rush of hatred so strong it was staggering. As soon as the feeling had come over her it vanished, leaving Ib confused with her mouth open a fraction. Mary and the cashier, whose name she finally realized was Jerry, both stared back expectantly; the cashier's tawny eyebrows scrunched in concern and Mary's own face one of…panic? Her blue eyes were trained on her sister with such intensity that her stare alone could've cracked Ib's skull. Within a moment those same eyes only radiated oblivion and minor concern after Mary shook her head, blonde waves twirling. "Well, Ib? What did you want to eat?"  
"Ah, uh, m…Macaroons. Two," She looked at Mary again, regaining mental clarity every second. "Three macaroons and some butterscotch." With a decisive nod and a smile to Jerry she ordered, taking a deep breath of relief. The pain was entirely gone. Normalcy was back. Normalcy was…good.

"These macaroons are delicious!" Mary exclaimed through a mouth of crumbs. Ib held one between her fingers, the third resting on the table between them. As she took a bite the blonde reached for the last one. Involuntarily Ib reached out and her hand snatched up the sweet quicker than her sister, an action that startled them both, especially when Ib shouted, "No!"

Mary flinched. "…Sorry," She muttered. "I didn't realize you wanted them both." Her voice held a bitter twinge and Ib hurried to make amends. "No, no! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. It's just that it's for a friend."  
"A friend? Who?"  
Ib couldn't answer, despite the truth to her reason."Um, I don't…know. But it's not for you." Seeing the hurt look in the blonde's eyes, she jumped up and left down the hall, red eyes confused as ever. "I'll be in my room! I'm sorry!"  
She'd taken the macaroon with her.

On her bed she cradled the pastry like one cradled a puddle of collected water, focusing as if looking for her reflection. It was quite a silly appearance, really. Ib scowled and tried to just eat the pastry. Her hand stopped as it brushed against her lips and she released a frustrated sound. "This is ridiculous! It's just food! I don't even know who I'm saving it for!"

Leaving the breaded snack on her nightstand, she went back out into the dining room to apologize again. Mother was in the kitchen with Father, both discussing having leftovers. They'd been outside earlier and hadn't heard the outburst. Mary was reading a magazine at the table, Ib's butterscotch still on the table. She sat down quietly next to her sister, hand ghosting over the candies and stuffing them in her pocket. Despite her guilt she felt she couldn't let her take any of them. _They're all I have left of him._ Ib's eyes widened, startled. She looked around. Who? All she had left of who? In place of the stabbing pain in her head she had at the candy shop she felt only a dull throb as it came bacl. It offered no comfort with its return.

Mary slapped her magazine on the table lazily, looking over at her crimson-eyed sister. "What?" She asked with a sigh, frowning."

"Oh? Oh! Uh, I, I'm sorry Mary. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I just haven't been feeling well. Are we okay?"

Blue eyes lit up and the blonde giggled childishly, pulling Ib into a clingy, bubbly hug. "Of course! I can't stand us having little tiffs like that! You're my sister!"  
The brunette quirked a smile, the pain in her head still present. "Good."  
"Hey you two, dinner's ready." Father called and they both headed to the kitchen, stomachs rumbling.  
After eating Ib went to her room to get some clothes for a shower. Or maybe even a bath. She hadn't taken one of those in forever, and it could help with the stress…  
As she walked past her dresser it occurred to her – not for the first time – how oddly colored the roses in that vase were. One was a vibrant red, the other a brilliant yellow. She leaned in to take a whiff and they smelled delightful. Though they were in her room Mary always made sure they were in perfect health. It was a small case of OCS, her constant checkups on the flowers.

"Oh well." Her breath rustled the petals and she moved to get out some pajamas. A light top and some fuzzy pants were the first things her fingers brushed, and they worked perfectly.  
In the bathroom she undressed and filled the tub, only to stop just as she was about to dip her foot in the water. She blinked and in that brief moment just before her eyes closed completely the room changed. The water was a murky, murky blue. It was dark and depthless and something smiled at her from the abyss.  
She screamed, a hand over her mouth to muffle the sound while the other was balled into a trembling fist. The young woman fell to her knees on the tile and found her fingers knotted into her hair the next minute. "What is happening to me?" her voice cracked. Steam from the water eased her nerves when she breathed it in, reaching out to test it. It was warm and clear.  
After recollecting herself, Ib slid in, releasing a sigh as the heat enveloped her, calming shot nerves like tea before bed.  
When she got out she was smiling and normal, forgetting about anything that had gone wrong during the day. There hadn't been another incident and wind-down hours with the family were peaceful. They watched TV, Mary and Mother talked a little bit about clothes, and Ib talked to Father about how uneventful school had been. Then, knowing each had to get up early for school or work, they all split into their rooms at around ten.

Ib sat up in bed for around an hour with a book and when she went to turn out her light Mary's was still on, the light from their parents' room moving to show that the television was on. Mother couldn't sleep without it and Father was such a sound sleeper he didn't mind. With a click her room was dim, a soothing change for her tired eyes. Curling up in bed with her comfortably fuzzy pajama pants and a fan directed towards her pillows producing white noise, she tried to fall asleep in peace. Her eyes slid closed in serenity, breathing slowed in the calm of pre-drowse. Her mind was quiet, lulled to oblivion by the fan and muted street noises, limbs of sleep reaching and cradling with gentle fingers.

The world of dreams was kind, this time holding the image of cherry blossoms and the smell of spring. The falling pink petals turned fat and red, roses instead of cherries, and fell into piles. The piles quickly melted down like smelted metal, a sharp copper smell coming from the red liquid. The blood filled the air with its rancid stench before turning a brilliant blue color, not neon in hue, but luminous. Even the falling petals had turned blue.

Even in the dream Ib felt her mind pause. Something was odd. Though this was a dream, she was lucid enough to realize something was unsettling, though everything was just foggy enough to cloak it all in confusion. The break in the dream seemed to replicate in her body, a break in breathing or her heart beating that sent Ib into a gasping fit. She rose in her bed not moments after falling asleep, chest rising and falling in panic as if she'd stopped breathing and fingers clutching at the sheets. Then she winced and let out an anguished whine, clutching at her head instead of the bedspread. The pain was back, feeling as if someone had driven several needles into her skull.


End file.
